Joanne Pfitzner

Joanne Pfitzner, 74, a longtime resident of Aurora, Missouri, passed away Wednesday, June 26, 2019, after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease.  She was a graduate of Mt. Vernon High School Class of 1963, but left the Mountaineers behind to become a Houn Dawg after pursing (or being pursued by) John Pfitzner, the love of her life, whom she married on February 29, 1964.  Together they raised two sons and were active in the Aurora schools.  She was a teacher’s aide in the school before working for many years at the Aurora Bank (through many mergers) and retired from First Independent Bank in Aurora after the demands of her disease proved too much to continue working.  Joanne served as an Aurora School Board member for 10 years.  She was an early recipient of deep brain stimulators (DBS) for the treatment of her disease in 2002 which greatly improved her quality of life.  Many thanks go out to Janice Briggs, her “Angel on Earth”, of the Parkinson’s Support Group at Cox Hospital for her love, support, and friendship of nearly 20 years.  She was also deeply appreciative for the friendship and visits by her high school girlfriends, Lou, Sharon, Jeanne, Robbie, Carol J. and Rosemarie as well as dear longtime friends, Mary, Ann, Darlene and Anita.
Joanne is survived by her husband of 55 years, John Pfitzner, who provided total care and devotion to her through 27 years of this illness, sons, Dr. Mark Pfitzner (Michael), David Pfitzner (Sonja), and the very special girls she loved so much, granddaughters, Kayla and Kyleigh Pfitzner.  She is preceded in death by her mother, Erna “Alice” Fender (formerly Ross), father Delbert Ross, step father Charley Fender, and an infant brother.
The family would like to thank Dr. George Wong of Cox Health, Dr. Jennifer McNay and nurse Peggy Neil of Mercy, the DBS team of Washington University Hospital in St. Louis, (Dr. Ushe, Angela, and Dawn).  The family also wants to acknowledge the wonderful staff at Mercy Hospital Unit 6A and Integrity Hospice inpatient unit who treated our wife, mother, and friend with dignity and respect during her final days.
A funeral mass under the direction of the Crafton-Cantrell Funeral Home in Aurora was held at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, July 2, 2019, at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Aurora.  A visitation and reception followed in the church hall.  No burial will occur at this time as the deceased would like her ashes joined with her husband at the time of his passing.  
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the Parkinson’s Support Group of the Ozarks (https://parkinsonsgroup.net/help-out/donate/) or The Michael J. Fox Foundation.
“Those we love don’t go away, they walk beside us every day…unseen, unheard, but always near, still loved, still missed and very dear.”
Online condolences may be shared at www.CraftonCantrellFuneralHome.com.